Fine Arts

Hi, my name is Mrs.Butler and I have lived and worked in Austin, TX for most of my life. I enjoy teaching my students about how big art can be and how you can market yourself as an artist. I am part of several art communities and art businesses in and around Austin, and currently sell my own work part time.

My Professional and Educational Background-

I have a background in graphic design and fine art with B.A. in Communication Design from Texas State University. I attended the Art Institute of Chicago for two years with a focus in painting and art and technology. I have also worked in the fashion/sales/makeup industry for over twenty years.

I look forward to making art with you!

Ms. Paige Edwards has enjoyed dance of many genres including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip hop, and more since the age of 5. During high school, she held leadership positions throughout her time as a Jersey Village Gold Duster in Houston serving as the 9th grade Sergeant, Jr. Leutenant, and Sr. Colonel. In 2013, she graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration and a Dance Minor. While attending A&M she peformed and taught with student organizations: Fade to Black and Dance Arts Society. In the summer of 2014, she completed a dance/business internship through Performing Arts Abroad in Barcelona, Spain with Varium Espai de Moviment. After landing her feet in Austin with an IT Sales company for a few  years, she realized that dance still held a huge part of her heart, so she became Certified to teach dance in the state of Texas. Much to her surprise, life had other plans when she was offered an exciting and creative role with a company called DrumFIT as the Curriculum Specialist, but she still longed to lead a Dance team of her own! In the Fall of 2018, she was offered the role as dance teacher and Drill Team Director for LASA/LBJ. She is grateful to be in this position and looks forward to cultivating a strong program for years to come. Since living in Austin, she has also enjoyed performing with various dance companies and teaching dance to students of all ages at Alisa's Dance Academy, PAIYH Dance Studios, The Dance Works, and Ballet Austin's Young Children's Division. In addition to dancing, she loves spending time with her cats, exploring the outdoors, seeing live music, gardening, traveling, taking it easy with family and friends, and continually learning new things! 

Deric J. Lewis, is an accomplished musician/songwriter in multiple genres including Classical, Jazz, Pop, and Gospel. After graduating from Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas) with a degree in Classical Piano Performance, he sought a postgraduate degree from Howard University (Washington D.C.).

As a performer, Deric Lewis has been fortunate to travel to several foreign countries and most major cities in North America. He has shared the stage and worked with most national gospel artists including Malcolm Williams, Dorinda Clark, and Kathy Taylor.. His recording choir “Deric Lewis & The Church Choir” is currently signed with Ernest Pugh Music. They are featured on three national releases and in 2019, they were featured on the EPM collaboration album.

Deric has been called upon to assemble and train choirs for celebrities such as Diana Ross (assembled and prepared choir for her ACL Performance) and Damon Albarn (Assembled, rehearsed, and sang background vocals for Warner Bros. International Artist Damon Albarns SXSW appearances: Jimmy Kimmel-LIVE, Stubbs BBQ with live simulcast on NPR, Guitar Center Sessions at Starr Building rooftop for Direct TV, Fader Fort with Snoop Dogg and De La Soul, and the Public Radio Rocks Showcase.) Damon loved the background vocals so much that he decided to take them on his American tour, which included The Tonight Show, The Governors Ball (NYC), The Bonnaroo Festival (Manchester), Irving Plaza (NYC), The Royal (Boston), and the Fox Theater (Atlanta). Deric has been called upon to perform for celebrity weddings including the Jessica Simpson/Nick Lache wedding and the Nancy Mckeon wedding, and to score music songbooks for gospel artists such as The Texas Mass Choir, Norman Hutchins, and Chester D.T. Baldwin. Deric is also the organist for the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas, Director/Instructor of The Mount Sinai School of Music, and a proud member of the most esteemed Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Deric is also a music educator. He holds a Texas EC-12 teachers certification in Music and is employed by the Austin Independent School District as a High School Choral Conductor. He heads the Choral Music Department and teaches AP Music Theory, Piano, and Voice at The Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) High School and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Early College High School. Under his tutelage; in 2016, the LBJ choir made history with their Sweepstakes” award in Varsity, Mixed 5A at the Texas UIL Concert/Sight-reading competition.